Decision after assessing 'availability', says MEA

New Delhi: India on Thursday said it is still assessing production schedules and availability of the COVID-19 vaccines, and any decision on their supply to other countries "may take some time".

This was stated by the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava. The remarks come in the backdrop of media reports that Brazil is sending an aircraft to procure doses of the coronavirus vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII).

"In so far as requests from countries for vaccines from India, you would recall that Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has already stated that India's vaccine production and delivery capacity would be used for the benefit of all humanity in fighting this crisis," he said in response to questions on supply of vaccines to neighbouring countries and reports that Brazil is sending a plane for procuring vaccine doses.

"As you know, the vaccination process is just starting in India. It is too early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries as we are still assessing production schedules and availability to take decisions in this regard. This may take some time," he said at an online briefing.

India's drugs regulator has approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch India's COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16 via video conferencing and adequate doses of the two made-in-India vaccines have been delivered across the country to all states and Union Territories, the government said on Thursday. The government on Tuesday hinted that vaccine recipients for now will not have the option to choose from the two vaccines -- Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech -- that have been approved for restricted emergency use in India.

According to the Health Ministry getting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said on Tuesday, "At many places in the world more than one vaccine is being administered. But, presently, in no country vaccine recipients have the option of choosing the shots."

According to the government, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities.

The cost of vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government, officials had said.

All 1.65 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines -- 1.1 crore of Covishield and 55 lakh of Covaxin -- procured by the Centre have been allocated to all states and UTs in proportion to their healthcare workers database, it said.